The Milwaukee Post

By JULIE MCHALE Post Theater Critic MILWAUKEE — There are several versions of the classic fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" on deck at the moment. Besides the many film versions of this story, including the just- released record-setter for an opening weekend, two stage productions are in full swing within our grasp, and both are out- standing. The Fireside Dinner Theatre version will run through April 16, and the Skylight Music Theatre just opened its very origi- nal take on the story via the work of French com- poser Gretry, whose music was Mozart's favorite. Unfortunately, it has a very short run. James Ortiz, winner of several Obie awards and a powerhouse of multiple talents, designed the set and the puppetry and directed Skylight's "Zémire et Azor." We are lucky to have artists of his stature in our midst along with music director Shari Rhoads who worked close- ly with him to transform the original text. The end result is no less than astounding. With a dazzling combina- tion of music, dance, pan- tomime, puppetry, comedy and drama, the age-old story of looking past appearances and finding love is told again in a fresh and very unique way. If you're looking for the lamp, the clock, the teapot and the wardrobe, you won't find them in this script. There are only six characters in this version — Beauty (Zémire), the Beast (Azor), Beauty's father (Sander), his ser- vant (Ali) and Sander's two other daughters (Fatme and Lisbe). Four other per- formers add some song and dance and manipulate the three puppets — the Beast, the Wind and the Puppy. The puppets alone are totally fascinating cre- ations. Though this is an opera, it combines spoken dialog with the music. The entire production uses English, and even the arias are eas- ily understood, which is rare and refreshing for an opera sung in English. The four soloists are all outstanding — Gillian Hollis as Zémire is a light, bright soprano who can soar with ease without sounding strident; Chaz'men Williams-Ali's resonant tenor voice as Azor is thrilling; Erin McKeever's Sander pos- sesses a rich, warm bari- tone that makes us feel his woe; and Nicholas Nestorak's portrayal of Ali, Sander's servant, has musical talent to match his comedic gift. The two greedy sisters (shades of Cinderella), also delight us when they join in musical- ly with Zémire. Erin Sura (Fatme) and Sarah Thompson Johansen (Lisbe) add the finishing touches to the scintillating sextet of vocalists. The dancing and singing skills of the ensemble play- ers must be acknowledged, along with their masterful manipulation of the three puppets. Alex Campea, Bria Cloyd, Sean Anthony Jackson, and Alex Mace assuredly contribute a goodly share to the beauty and overall wonder of the production. I can't say enough about this amazing show. It's absolutely an imaginative tour de force, one that rich- ly deserves the too-oft-used word "awesome." Get those tickets now, or you'll be disappointed at being left out of an unforgettable experience. March 24, 2017 • Milwaukee County Post • 15 ENTERTAINMENT Seen with one of the fascinating puppets, Azor, or The Beast, Chaz´men Williams-Ali (who sings Azor's lines) has a resonating tenor that stands out in Skylight Music Theatre's opera "Zémire et Azor" ("Beauty and the Beast"). Mark Frohna By JULIE MCHALE Post Theater Critic FORT ATKINSON — We all love a good romantic fairy tale, especially one with a happy ending. "Disney's Beauty and the Beast" has all the essential ingredients — a bad guy, scary elements often occur- ring in forests, a beautiful woman, a curse or spell, and the triumph of good over evil. Because its useful les- sons of overcoming one's fear, not succumbing to those who try to dominate us, looking beyond the sur- face of a person and taking responsibility for the conse- quences of our own actions, the story continues to be relevant. Fireside Dinner Theatre, with its penchant for gath- ering very talented actors, singers, dancers, costumers and behind-the-scenes crew, the inimitable team of Ed Flesch and Mary Ehlinger, always delivers. This spec- tacular production of a timeless musical is no exception. It's well-paced 23 participants are full of zest and give their all to the show. Julia Johanos is a stun- ning Belle. Her sonorous voice and spunky personali- ty add strength to the role. Michael Glavan as the Beast does a good job, too, espe- cially in his halting roman- tic maneuvers, as he learns to focus more on someone else more than himself. He also has a beautifully reso- nant voice. A lot of the humor in the play derives from the antics of the dehumanized charac- ters who are the innocent victims of the curse placed upon their master. Cogsworth (Brian Elliott), Lumiere (Jacob Richard Axelson), Babette (Molly Dunn), Mrs. Potts (Iris Lieberman), Wardrobe (Rhonda Rae Busch) and "Disney's Beauty and the Beast" The play runs through April 16 with a few added performances due to high demand at the Fireside Dinner Theatre, 1131 Janesville Ave., Fort Atkinson. Call 800-477-9505 or visit firesidetheatre.com. At a glance Fairy tale elements on full display as Disney's version romances Fireside audience Julia Johanos (Belle) Michael Glavan (the Beast) David Sajewich (Gaston) Two tellings of 'Beauty and the Beast' 'Zémire et Azor' imaginative tour de force "Zémire et Azor" The opera runs through the weekend in Skylight's Cabot Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway, Milwaukee. Call 414-291-7800 or visit skylightmusictheatre.org. At a glance Skylight's accessible, amazing tale not to be missed

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